Simond Store Blacksmithing Coal Forge Worth getting for small projects

[Duckkisser]

Was wondering if the Simone store blacksmithing coal forge on Amazon is worth getting for small projects. Was thinking to get it for portability to make smaller projects like jewlelry, spoons, ect…  there 219 us Dollers on Amazon. And was just wondering if anyone has used one and how well do they hold up?  This will be a secondary forge for coal since my main forge is gas.  This would just primarily be for thinner stock. 

[Daswulf]

It would probably smoke like crazy since youd have to add un coked coal directly into the pot. Most coal forges have some kind of table to keep coal next to the pot to heat up and coke and you move that coking coal into the fire pot as needed. 

I don't know about your fabricating skills or other tools you have to use, but I think something more efficient and still portable could be made and quite inexpensively depending on your scrounging skills. 

Also that one doesn't have much of an ash collection for the dump and the blower will probably keep blowing the ash up into the pot and possibly restrict the air flow.

 

I've never used one like it but from my experience it doesn't look like a good setup. I could be wrong.

[ThomasPowers]

Most of the reviews sound like they were made by folks with little forging experience; I wonder what reviews by people who actually have good blacksmithing experience would be like?    I've built a starter set of forge, blower, improvised anvil and basic tools for under US$25 before---and the fanciest tool I used was a 1/4" electric drill; this is only 10 times as much. (Used it to weld billets for several years.)

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

If ya want something cheap, light, an portable,

I’d say build a pancake forge! I’ve built several for myself and others,

you can forge both small an large stock, ive even forge welded in one I’ve built,

You can make one for free if ya are good at scrappin,

all ya need is a angle grinder, a drill Ana welder for tools!

[Charles R. Stevens]

I have to agree,  a JABOD, 55 or fabricated fire pot forge would be a lot less expensive and more effective. 
 

Ok, TW what in the name of clinker is a pancake forge? 

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Lol 

Charles,

a pancake forge is a forge idea I came up with several years ago, 

i built several before I joined the forum an then yall helped me refine my design over building several more!

essentially it’s a small portable rivet forge built from the body of a pancake compressor tank,

here’s one done an another one started, sizes vary but usually around 15” pan with sucker rod legs, they are handy for traveling cause you can just throw em in a truck or car an they don’t take up much space, they are also pretty durable!

 

[Charles R. Stevens]

Got ya, lol

[Duckkisser]

I’m a decent wood worker and just started branching out into metal working but I’m going through gas so fast. The smith I took a couple classes with uses coal and he says he spends about 7 Dollers a bucket. We forged all day and I think I ended up using about 6-7 scoops of coal. So since I mostly am inclined to do small decorative work, knives , , carving, decorative knobs, keychains, jewelry. Stuff that will be added to my wood and stone work.  I thought to get a small forge.  I might try to make a brake roter forge.  Does anyone know of a site that gives plans and I’ll look into pricing out the parts.  As for fabricating I welded for first time this week and that was to put a handle on a wrench to make a twisting wrench.  I have done pipe fiting and pvc ect but this is first time machining and welding metal.

[ThomasPowers]

So how fast are you going through gas and what does your gas forge and burner(s) look like?    Often excessive gas use is because the forge and burners are built incorrectly.

[Duckkisser]

Thomas I have a diamond back forge its a 2 burner forge and I'm getting about 8 hours of work on my regular size gas tank. From what I can tell that is normal.  It just goes fast when your spending all day smithing.  sooo rather spend 7 dollars a day to do work then spend 20.  I do wish that I could shut off one of the burners and to have a smaller heating space to save gas but it is what it is.  

 

[Charles R. Stevens]

Plenty of brake rotor and drum forges have been built but neither are the easiest or least expensive to build. IMO tho they work, they aren't the best either. 
I have seen nice bottom blasts build with pipe fitting tuyeres (either bullet grate or “S” grates into flat pans like a short cut off of a 55 gallon drum that were better forges for the same work and money. 
side blast forges are generally easier and less expensive for making for how good they work. 
 

My pro-forge has the same issue, lol.  Lucky it needs an overhaul that should make it both more efficient and durable. 
the big issue is that as we can only hand forge about 6” and being able to heat 12” or more is overkill. A coffee can sized forge dose most of what we need.

[Duckkisser]

Charles from what I can tell a side blast forge primarily just blows from the side.  I have my gas forge on a harbor freight cart that I roll in and out of garage to work. How hard would it be to convert that into a forge/ be worth it?

[Daswulf]

 I prefer brake rotors that are on the rear of a vehicle with the drum style e brakes. 

Good size I've found is between 2-3" deep and between 8-9" wide in the opening. 

Those seem to make a good forge pot. 

 

[Charles R. Stevens]

And Das and I agree to disagree, lol. 
love and respect, brother Das!

[JHCC]

11 hours ago, Duckkisser said:

I mostly am inclined to do small decorative work, knives , , carving, decorative knobs, keychains, jewelry. Stuff that will be added to my wood and stone work.  I thought to get a small forge.

10 hours ago, Duckkisser said:

I have a diamond back forge its a 2 burner forge

That's way too much forge for that kind of work. A gasser running a single Frosty T-burner would be plenty; you might even consider a smaller one running a 1/2" burner rather than the standard 3/4".

10 hours ago, Duckkisser said:

I have my gas forge on a harbor freight cart that I roll in and out of garage to work. How hard would it be to convert that into a forge/ be worth it?

Not worth it. Keep the HF cart for your gasser, and build your solid-fuel forge from the ground up. If you incorporate casters into the stand, it will be plenty portable.

10 hours ago, Duckkisser said:

from what I can tell a side blast forge primarily just blows from the side.

I've used both side-blast and bottom-blast forges. Side blasts are easier to build and (in my opinion) slightly easier to keep the fire clean and clinker free. Otherwise, there's no significant difference in performance.

[Duckkisser]

Had thought to cut a hole in top shelf of cart to set break rotor in then I can mount pipes, blower ect underneath.  That way I don’t have to spend the money to buy material for stand.  Plus I only have a small space for metal work since rest of garage is full of tools for woodworking. 

[JHCC]

If that top shelf is just sheet steel, it may not be beefy enough to support the firepot and such. Adding some reinforcement underneath would not be unwise -- you do NOT want it letting go with a fire in it!

[Charles R. Stevens]

The cart can be used, as mine supports rear axles and other car parts. I would redrill the holes so you can lower the tray to the hight of your anvil. The real issue would be that it isn’t deep enough with out a fire pot of some kind.
assuming the use of coal and not charcoal a fire pot can be welded up of 1/4” or thicker plate. I have done exactly that for charcoal but it works for coal.  

[ThomasPowers]

Last heavy trash pickup in the local town I spotted a dozen gas grills being thrown out; what is this about buying stuff for stand?

[Charles R. Stevens]

Hush now TP! This is a consumer culture.

[Frosty]

I'm resisting a comment about buying a new horse when the shoes wear out but I'm not going to say a thing.

Nope, not a peep.

Frosty The Lucky.

[anvil]

If I was to buy anything from them it would be their 12x14 blacksmiths forge. Its basically a firepot, twyre, and clinker ball. Its the right size to do anything you want to make. Build a table to set it in,,, wood or metal, add legs and a blower and you would have a far better forging setup than that oval one with blower. fire control in the one you are asking about would be a real pain in the twyre.   

[Duckkisser]

Thanks jhcc I’ll probably need to add some more to it for reinforcement.  
 

I have the red harbor freight cart. What I’m going to do is cut a two inch hole for the pipe, set a brake rotor on the top. And hook up a blower underneath .   Might end up filling top with refractory cement and put some reinforcement across the bottom of sheet metal top shelf.  Just don’t know what to use for a blower would like to use something better then hair dryer so I don’t burn up the blower too fast.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

I can vouch for how well the Pancake forge Billy (TWISTEDWILLOW) makes work. I have used some Champion and Buffalo rivet forges, along with my home made forge from a semi-trailer wheel, all with hand crank blowers. The pancake works just as well when I used it at the BOA Hammer in meeting at his forge.

[arkie]

Billy, with all respect to your pancake forge design, I would suggest one modification.  You don't really have any place for the ash and clinker to go when it drops.  It looks like it will accumulate in the "T" of your air supply.  I think you need a length of pipe below the tuyere and "T", say 4" to 6", for the ash to accumulate.  Not ever having used that design, I would suspect the shallow ash accumulation would either block part of your air supply or be blown back up the tuyere....tell my I'm full of beans...LOL